Psychology
graduate students with interests in Cognition or Cognitive Development engage in doctoral training that promotes expertise in the theories, current knowledge, and research paradigms in these areas. Cognition topics include memory, prospective memory, information processing in applied tasks, and cognitive aging. Cognitive Development topics include children's developing theory of mind, social cognition, meta cognition, moral development, adults' optimal development and world views. In both areas, research activities are strongly
emphasized. Throughout their four-year careers, students are encouraged
to work independently and collaboratively with one or more faculty and
with other students. This flexible training equips graduates for
employment in academia, research institutions, government agencies, and
a variety of service-related settings.
Doctoral students in Cognition or Cognitive Development are expected to complete four core psychology courses (Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Biological Psychology, and Developmental Psychology), two statistics courses, and a methodology course, and also to complete coursework appropriate to their research foci as determined in consultation with their mentors and graduate committees. Students are required to complete a Master's thesis and dissertation on topics in biological or cognitive psychology, and, between these tasks, to pass a qualifying exam, developed by each student in collaboration with his or her graduate committee.
Karen Bartsch, Ph. D. (U. Michigan, 1988)
Cognitive and meta-cognitive development.
David Estes, Ph. D. (U. Michigan, 1986)
Optimal Development, Belief Systems, Worldviews, Theories of Human Nature.
Narina Nunez, Ph. D. (Cornell U., 1987)
Adolescent Decision-Making, Juror and Jury Reasoning and Decision-Making.
Suzanna Penningroth, Ph. D. (U. Illinois-Chicago)
Prospective memory (memory for future actions), memory, information-processing in applied tasks, cognitive aging.
Heidemarie Laurent, Ph.D. (U. Massachusetts at Amherst 2008)
Emotion Regulation in Close Relationships
Walter Scott, Ph.D. (U. Illinois-Chicago, 1996)
Depression, self-efficacy, goals and self-regulation
